Praetorius starts with some text on the
naming of the instrument. He starts with: "Fagotten und
Dolcianen (Italis Fagotto
& Dolcesouno) werden mehrertheils indifferenter also genennet.
Sonsten wollen etliche / daß diß die rechte Dolcianen
seyn / die vom den Engelländern Zingel Korthol genennet werden:
Und sind an der Tieffe / so wol auch am Resonanß / dem Basset
in den Pommern gleich ...".
With what he indicates that, to his knowledge, both names, "Fagott"
and "Dolcian", are used for the instrument. That
in Italy the instrument was called "Fagotto"
or "Dolcesouno". And, that some people call the
tenor, in England called "Zingel Korthol", the
real dulcian.
In the rest of the text on this page he uses both Fagott
and Dolcian.
Interesting is that in the table with the compass
of the dulcian, and in Theatrum Instrumentorum picture
X, Praetorius only uses the names Fagott and Korthol,
Dolcian is only used in the header of the compass table.
The text about the name of the instrument is followed by a
description how the dulcian sounds: like the shawm, but more quiet.
Further is explained that there are two types of the "Doppel
Fagott": a "Quint Fagott" and a "Quart
Fagott".
Finally, Praetorius describes that the man who made the "Octav
Posaune", now works on a "grossen Fagotcontra",
a Contrabass dulcian. In the chapter on the sackbut is described
that this maker was Hans Schreiber.
Here Praetorius shows the compass of the Quintbass (1), the Quartbass (2), the Bass (3) and the Tenor dulcian (4). For number 5, only a partial range is given, probably for a g-Alto. Actual range information for the Alto is missing, the Soprano is not present at all in this table. This could lead us to the conclusion that Praetorius did not have enough information on the useful range of the smaller instruments.
In this picture, the dulcians are numbered 2 .. 7. For
instruments 2 .. 5, the letters next to the holes give the note
that sounds when that hole is closed. Praetorius
mentions in the text, that for instruments 6 and 7 the letters
next to the holes give the note that sounds when that hole is
open.
Instrument 2 is the "Doppel-Fagot bis ins GG",
a Quartbass dulcian in C with the lowest note GG. Praetorius
shows us the front of an instrument made in two pieces, and the
back of an instrument made from one piece of wood.
Instrument 3 is the "Offen Chorist Fagott. C",
a Bass dulcian in F with the lowest note C.
Instrument 4 is the "Gedact Chorist-Fagott. C",
a Gedackt bass dulcian in F with the lowest note C.
Instrument 5 is the "Singel Kortholt. Baßet oder
Tenor zum Chorist-Fagott. G", a Gedackt tenor dulcian
in c with the lowest note G.
Instrument 6 is the "Alt. d.", a keyless g-Alto
dulcian with the lowest note d. In this picture, the holes
for the index finger of both hands are missing.
Instrument 7 is the "Discant oder Exilent zum Chor:Fagott.
a.", a keyless d-Soprano dulcian with the lowest note
a.
The ruler underneath the picture gives the length in "Braunschweigischen
Fuss". At the time of Praetorius, the length of
the foot in Braunschweig was 28 cm.
Back to the main Dulcians page.
Remarks and/or comment: mail me.
© Copyright 1998-1999 by Hans Mons.
Last updated on 17 January 1999